Wii being used to help stroke victims recover

Even though video games have always gotten a bad rap for turning kids into couch potatoes, a group of physical therapists are using a video game console to help people get back on their feet.

According to Minnesota‘s WCCO-TV, physical therapists at the the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis are using Nintendo’s Wii home video game console in an experiment aimed at helping stroke victims recover.

“It is not designed to be used in therapy per se, but some of the games are very useful to activate the patient, then it is a matter of, from a research point of view, to try to develop these concepts to something that is dedicated, specialized for research… for rehab,” said Sister Kenny Research Center director Lars Oddsson.

There are only a few hospitals around the U.S. trying this kind of therapy, but Oddsson says that the experiment’s promising results could lead to a clinical study of the Wii’s helpfulness as a physical therapy tool. WCCO-TV also noted that the Army has also started using the Wii for physical therapy.

Via WCCO

Even though video games have always gotten a bad rap for turning kids into couch potatoes, a group of physical therapists are using a video game console to help people get back on their feet.

According to Minnesota‘s WCCO-TV, physical therapists at the the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis are using Nintendo’s Wii home video game console in an experiment aimed at helping stroke victims recover.

“It is not designed to be used in therapy per se, but some of the games are very useful to activate the patient, then it is a matter of, from a research point of view, to try to develop these concepts to something that is dedicated, specialized for research… for rehab,” said Sister Kenny Research Center director Lars Oddsson.

There are only a few hospitals around the U.S. trying this kind of therapy, but Oddsson says that the experiment’s promising results could lead to a clinical study of the Wii’s helpfulness as a physical therapy tool. WCCO-TV also noted that the Army has also started using the Wii for physical therapy.

Via WCCO